Guests lined up Thursday morning to claim their free
year’s worth of Chick-fil-A at the Pewaukee location.
The first 100 guests snagged the prize.Submitted photo

PEWAUKEE — A downpour of rain Wednesday night into
Thursday morning didn’t dampen the celebration for
guests awaiting the grand opening of the new Pewaukee
Chick-fil-A, located at 1454 Capitol Drive. The
5,000-square-foot restaurant opened its doors to the
first 100 guests at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, and those who
waited in line were rewarded with a year’s supply of
free food.

The 100 person quota was filled by 9 p.m. Wednesday
night, but the celebratory spirit continued well into
the first work day for employees at the location.

“It’s fantastic. The training process has been really
awesome. It was actually really fun — they taught me how
to make milkshakes,” said employee Ray Christensen III.
For him, working at Chick-fil-A isn’t as much about the
money as it is about caring about the community and
getting to know the people around him.

He said Chick-fil-A really brings to the Lake Country
area a business that truly cares about the community,
while being a fun place to work.

He added that his friends are definitely jealous that he
gets to work around delicious food all day. The motto of
caring about the community comes from the top down in
franchise owner and operator Kyle Bartz.

He says he’s already worked to try to instill this goal
into the minds of all his employees and wants to stand
out as the first Chickfil- A in the area.

“I really hope that we’re gonna be that hometown kind of
feel type restaurant. I’ve told all my team my goal is
to be the most caring company in the Pewaukee-Lake
Country area,” Bartz said.

Bartz said so far, he’s hired 82 employees and is
searching for 10-20 more people, which will contribute
to the local economy.

Some employees, like Moriah Knutson, sought out the
company because of the good things they’ve both
experienced and heard about Chick-fil-A.

“I used to go to the one on Capitol (Drive in
Brookfield) all the time and noticed what great service
they had and heard about how well they treat their
employees,” Knuston said.

When asked if working at Chick-fil-A lives up to its
reputation so far, she said, “For sure it is. It’s
definitely busy, but they trained me well.”

Chick-fil-A employee Moriah Knutson packs up drive-thru
orders during the
grand opening day of the Pewaukee location on Thursday.Ashley Haynes/Freeman Staff

Restaurant
specs

The Pewaukee location, which is open from 6:30 a.m. to
10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, features Chick-fil-A
mobile ordering pick-up parking spaces, a designated
mobile pick-up counter, a two-story indoor playground
completed with a toddler section, a drive-thru with dual
ordering lanes that can handle upwards of 200 cars an
hour, and a 20-seat outdoor patio.

Bartz said the modern design of the store is part of his
commitment to providing a “remarkable experience” for
guests. “I am excited to bring our freshly prepared food
and genuine hospitality to an area that has been waiting
its own Chick-fil-A for a long time and to have an
opportunity to serve the community outside my
restaurant,” Bartz said.